49ers’ Dee Ford: Richard Sherman is winning the race to recovery

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 31: Defensive end Dee Ford #55 , middle linebacker Kwon Alexander #56 and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner #99 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrate a sack during the game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on

“No, Sherm’s on a different boat,” Ford said. “Sherm is going to Greece. I’m going to Africa. Sherm thinks he’s going to be back tomorrow if he could.”

Ford and Sherman were among six defensive players who were ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Falcons because of injuries. The others are cornerback K’Waun Williams (concussion), safety Jaqusiki Tartt (ribs), nose tackle D.J. Jones (ankle) and defensive tackle Jullian Taylor (elbow).

Head coach Kyle Shanahan said the 49ers will place Jones on injured reserve before 1 p.m. Saturday and bring defensive tackle Kentavius Street off IR to assume his spot on the 53-man roster.

Meanwhile, Shanahan has said Ford will likely miss the final three regular-season games. On Thursday, Sherman said he will return to play against the Rams on Dec. 21 after Shanahan indicated he’d likely miss multiple games. On Friday, Shanahan said he hopes Sherman is “week to week.”

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Ford missed two games after he initially strained his hamstring on Nov. 17 in a win against the Cardinals. He returned for last Sunday’s 48-46 win at New Orleans, but aggravated the injury in the first quarter after playing four snaps.

“I felt like I was good,” Ford said. “That’s the tricky thing about hamstrings. I passed every part of the protocol. It’s an extensive protocol that (the medical staff has) to follow. And I passed the test. Just an unlucky situation. … We checked every box. I was actually running better than I was running before (the initial injury) by the time I got done. There are just certain things you can’t replicate in a game.”

Delayed pain: The 49ers will place Jones on IR because he sustained a severe high ankle sprain against the Saints that is expected to sideline him about two months.

Jones suffered the injury in the first quarter, but still played 33 of 72 snaps and finished the game. Shanahan said general manager John Lynch told him he had the same injury during his playing career and also finished the game.

Lynch “thought it would be all right and then the next day he got up and couldn’t walk,” Shanahan said. “So sometimes the adrenaline just goes where you can go (play with) it.”

Street, a 2018 fourth-round pick, hasn’t played a regular-season snap because of a torn ACL he sustained in a workout before he was drafted. He had another surgery in late August after his knee began to bother him in training camp.

Street was asked if it was daunting to be about to make his NFL debut during critical late-season games.

“I was talking to my mom about this yesterday,” Street said. “It’s not so much a load being put on my shoulders. It’s more of a humbling experience because that shows a confidence and a trust they have in me.”

Eric Branch has worked at the San Francisco Chronicle since 2011 as the 49ers beat writer. Before that, he covered the 49ers for the Santa Rosa Press Democrat in 2010. Since he began his career in journalism in 1997 in Logansport, Ind., he’s covered events ranging from archery tournaments to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.